2008 can't come soon enough.

I have to keep reminding myself what a "great" situation I have: a relatively low-stress job where I can get my schoolwork done on my down time. On a good day, I still like what I do. But on days like today, the last thing I want to do is take some redneck to see an apartment. And even on a good day, having a crazy resident swear at me and call me names for no reason can get old. It's really hard to be nice to people sometimes.

Then again, I have had a lot of really nice folks come through lately. I've been reluctant to get my behind out of the chair (they don't know that, I still pretend to be just thrilled that they've walked through my door), but by the end of our tour I admit that I generally have enjoyed getting to know a little bit about them.

I think the main reason that I am looking forward to finishing my master's and moving on is to progress to a career where my co-workers are also educated. I have always enjoyed working for small businesses. One drawback of that, however, is that the staff is typically home-grown, and you're stuck spending a lot of time with those few people. The one person that I share my entire day with has been with the company for 10 years, has a high-school diploma (if that), and the professional demeanor and social skills that go with it. I am consistently cheerful (fake or not) in an effort to provide a pleasant environment for all of our employees. Unfortunately, the favor is not returned, and each morning I am unsure whether my greetings will be returned with pleasantries or pursed lips.

All of which, I realize, really have nothing to do with educational level, and I know that there's at least one person who is hard to deal with in every crowd of co-workers. But a girl can dream, can't she?